


The First Step to Being a Gaming YouTuber

by reydishii



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Middle School, Cat Mario, M/M, not a youtube au, this was a request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-04-17 16:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14192625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reydishii/pseuds/reydishii
Summary: Jared and Connor get assigned as partners for a project that changes the course of their lives.





	The First Step to Being a Gaming YouTuber

**Author's Note:**

> This was a request from raesmol on Amino,, hope you enjoy!!
> 
>  
> 
> ~~the ending is extremly bad/rushed because I had lost all motivation to continue writing it... apologies.~~

In middle school, Connor Murphy and Jared Kleinman barely knew each other. 

All Jared knew about Connor was that he was the kid who threw a printer at Mrs. G in second grade, and all Connor knew about Jared was that he was an asshole to everyone but a blonde-haired kid that he grew up with. 

However, in eighth grade of middle school, Connor Murphy and Jared Kleinman were assigned to be partners in their shared Video Tech class.

\--

“Sorry, Ev,” Jared muttered as he left his only friend to deal with interacting socially on his own. “I’m just, uh, going to go get murdered, okay?”

“Okay,” Evan sighed, seeming to accept his fate. Both boys began gathering their books, about to move to the desks of their respective partners. Jared didn’t want to look behind him; didn’t want to make eye contact with someone who was (reportedly) addicted to crystal meth and had murdered some kid standing outside of his house. 

Taking a calming breath, Jared shoved his binders into his backpack, then moved to the back of the room. He could see the familiar dark figure in the very back corner of the room, just waiting for his prey to arrive. 

His breath rushed out in a huff as he sat down in the unoccupied space of the conjoined desk that Connor sat at, and dropped his backpack as far away from the maniac as he could.

“I’m Jared Kleinman,” he managed to say quickly, not making eye contact in case of his untimely death. “Since I’m most likely not going to die before this project is due and I want a good grade because otherwise I’ll fail this class, we’re going to have to work together.”

Connor shifted in his seat besides him, looking slightly uncomfortable. “You can graduate even if you fail a class, you know.”

Jared glared at Connor through the corner of his eyes. “I did know, thank you very much, but if we’re going to be partners, then you’re going to put in some damn effort.”

Connor, seemingly taken aback by the boy’s brazen attitude, could only nod as Jared started writing something in a notebook.

\--

Here he was.

On an unfamiliar bus that Connor had dragged him onto, filled with kids that Jared didn’t even know went to their school.

The only faces he even recognized were two kids who were always together, one who wore a red hoodie with patches, and another with fluffy hair and always seemed to wear something blue.

But, he tucked himself quietly into the seat with Connor Murphy, ignoring the heat creeping up the back of his neck.

\--

Jared had emailed their teacher to find out their specific assignment, since they were instructed to had they not gotten their unique partner assignment in class. 

Connor and Jared, in fact, had _not_ gotten their unique partner assignment. 

When the teacher had emailed back, it was found that the two were assigned to make a humorous video of them playing a game. 

(“We’re filming ourselves? _Kinky_ ,” Jared had remarked, earning him a small swat on the arm from Connor.)

It would apparently be easier for the two; they could play a video game that was impossible to beat, film them playing, edit the bad parts out, emphasize the funny parts, and they had their video. 

The teacher gave the assignment to them to see if Connor could actually laugh (she said so in the email). They weren’t going to be presenting it in front of the class, so even if Connor didn’t laugh, then she would grade the video on the editing skills the pair possessed. 

They had discussed what was the best rage game they could think of, to get an idea of what games they liked, and try to at least get to know each other. During the conversation, the topic turned to their own lives, and the two began to get to know each other.

It turned out Connor wasn’t always an asshole, but he was trying to improve. One of the first things Connor had said to Jared after getting off of the bus, and being by themselves, was “I’m sorry if you’re afraid of me. I’m trying to get better.”

Jared had nodded, and tried to focus on trusting Connor a little more. 

The game they decided on was one that neither of them had played; Cat Mario. They arranged to play it over at Jared’s house, since Connor’s parents would throw him in a mental hospital if they knew Connor was able to get along with someone. 

“It’s due to the fact that they think I’m going to intentionally hurt anyone I get close to,” Connor had elaborated, arms crossed, sitting on his bedroom floor in a ball. “They think I’m not trying to get better, or have a friend.”

Jared, not knowing what to say or do, simply placed a hand on Connor’s arm, and pretended not to notice the shuddery breath that left Connor’s body after he did.

\--

Connor Murphy came over to Jared’s house on a Tuesday evening. 

“Welcome, uh, Connor!” Jared’s mom had enthusiastically greeted her guest, after forgetting his name. 

“Thanks,” Connor said, trying his best to give a light smile. “I’m, ah, glad to be here.” He stammered, making frantic eye contact with Jared, who gave a small smile at the awkward figure in front of him. He had dropped the aura of intimidation that he wore at school, now just looking mostly lost and a little confused.

Connor was ushered into the house, and Jared escorted Connor to his room, leaving the door open behind the two just in case he did try to murder Jared. 

“Do you have the game set up?” Connor asked Jared, and he nodded mutely, gesturing to his computer on the desk.

“I also set the camera up. To, y’know, record us.” Jared elaborated, gesturing to the video camera that pointed to them from the side of the computer. “Are you, uh, ready to do this?”

Connor nodded silently this time, and took a seat in the chair furthest away from the camera. 

Cat Mario was played on Jared’s computer that very Tuesday. Connor only lost it and stormed out of the house twice, and Jared was reduced to paralyzing laughter both times. The boys surprisingly got along as the levels went by, and when Connor finally beat the first level, the two jumped up and hugged in celebration. The video feed was filled of them laughing, screaming, and generally proving that Connor Murphy, in fact, was not a heartless bastard.

Once they had gotten done filming the demise of the barriers between them, they began editing the video. Both were hysterically laughing again at the strange expressions the two of them made while playing. After a while, Jared’s dad came up to deliver the two of them dinner, simple chicken nuggets and salads. They edited the film late into the night, adding effects that zoomed into their faces or rotated the entire screen. The video had a small intro and outro to the project, which Connor created via animation.

After Connor’s parents called and demanded an explanation to where the hell he was (to which he responded that he was staying the night at Jared’s and promptly hung up), the two of them edited the title screens and actual video content together. They left the video to render, saved it onto a flash drive, and asked if Connor could stay the night once they brought their plates downstairs. Fortunately, Jared’s parents agreed, and set up an air mattress in Jared’s room for Connor to sleep on.

“That was surprisingly fun,” Jared remarked as they dicked around on their computers. “I can confidently say that I don’t think you’re a psychopath anymore.”

Connor smirked at Jared, hair tied up into a bun that looked strangely… nice. “And I can confidently say that you’re not a sociopath to everyone but Evan.”

Jared grinned back at Connor, and pulled out his phone. “Evan and I’ve been friends since kindergarten when I moved here,” Jared said. “Everyone else is passive-aggressive or a dick to us, we have no choice but to do the same.”

“Wow,” Connor sarcastically droned. “It’s almost like we’re in the same boat.”

Jared snickered, and threw a hand out to lightly tug on a strand of hair that had fallen out of Connor’s bun. “Wanna be friends, then?” He propositioned. “It seems like you’re a good guy, and when we get into high school, we’ll need all the support we can get.”

Connor’s breath hitched audibly and his eyes went wide as he locked eyes with Jared. 

“I’d like that,” he whispered quietly, the air around them suddenly thick and the mood changed. 

As time went on, a promising future seemed to form around the two boys. Jared would go on to introduce Connor to Evan the next day, and turn in their project the next week. Jared would save Connor from multiple mental breakdowns over the next few years, Connor would stop Jared from having anxiety attacks over the divorce of his parents. The two would find Evan at the base of a tree with a broken arm during the summer before they go into senior year, and Connor and Jared would start dating two months later. All three of them would graduate, and Evan would take a gap year before going into college. Jared would go into college to become a graphic designer; Connor would become a psychiatrist.

All because of a video project in eighth grade.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave feedback!


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